From South Park to Afghanistan
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James Joyner | Friday, December 3, 2004 |
StrategyPage: “A patch featuring Kyle from South Park is showing up on helmet bags and off duty clothing in Afghanistan.”
I suppose it beats “Kilroy Was Here.”
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
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What's next? MPs wearing Cartman badges? "Respect Mah Authoriteh!"
How about T-shirts that are Boomhauer Beer Bud.
Do they have one for Kuwait? I got a nephew serving there courtesy of the Delaware Guard.
I wonder why they wear this. Is it funny? I don't have cable tv, so I may be missing something.
Our troops in Afghanistan are doing a great and important job. Is Afghanistan a more dire place than Iraq?
Maybe if I were a vet I would understand this patch.
They had them in Kuwait in '03 when I was there. The hajjis can sew anything.
At our base they were sold at the alterations shop next to the dry cleaners, and I think they were $2 installed.
The best place to put them was on the inside of you boonie hat.
For those of you who don't know, the phrase "you bastards!" is a running joke on "South Park," particularly during the first couple of seasons. Trying to explain in more detail would be difficult and pointless. But the reference is entirely humorous.
Afghanistan is, from what I've heard, pretty sucky duty, and this kind of humor is nothing new in military circles.
When I was doing my interviews with the Swift Boat Vets, I uncovered a couple of old patches used by Navy personnel that used Snoopy. One was just Snoopy, another was of Snoop in his "World War I flying ace" helmet, piloting his "Sopwith Camel." I featured them (without comment) here and here.
one episode of south park, they actually WENT to afghanistan. to return a goat.
so the patch is a quote.
Oh, that is TOOOO funny! I'd love to get one of those!
pinkmonkeybird
" I wonder why they wear this. Is it funny? I donât have cable tv, so I may be missing something.
Our troops in Afghanistan are doing a great and important job. Is Afghanistan a more dire place than Iraq? Maybe if I were a vet I would understand this patch."
You don't have to be a vet to understand sardonic and/or gallows humour. But I suppose it helps.
When things look bleak, and trouble is all around, it helps to find what bits of humour you can. Knock-knock jokes just don't cut it, but gallows humour does.
My friend Carolyn who is currently in Iraq sent another friend of mine a similar patch. It features Kenny saying "You sent me to Iraq! You bastards!" The workmanship is better on the kenny in iraq one. Here's a picture I took of it: http://img157.exs.cx/img157/9404/kennyiniraq7tn.jpg
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